Cup holder game playing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The cup holder game playing apparatus is intended for use with a motorized vehicle having at least one recessed cup holder therein and includes a hollow cylindrical container and a lid. The hollow cylindrical container has a tapered bottom end and an open top end, the tapered bottom end being dimensioned to fit within the recessed cup holder. The lid is designed to be detachably removed from the open top end of the hollow cylindrical container and encompasses at least one game playing mechanism. The cup holder game playing apparatus is designed to allow playing of the game playing mechanism while the apparatus is maintained within the cup holder. The lid of each cup holder game playing apparatus may encompass a different game playing mechanism, including a randomizer, such as a spinner or a pop-o-matic dice mechanism, a revealer, or a scoring device, such as a trivia scoring device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/832,960, filed Jul. 25, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to game playing apparatuses, and morespecifically to a game playing apparatus for use in the recessed cupholder of a motorized vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

Riding in a vehicle, especially for long periods of time during longvacation trips and such, can often be boring and monotonous. This isespecially true for children, who easily become restless if notconstantly entertained while riding in the vehicle. As such, parents andother drivers are constantly searching for ways to entertain theirchildren and other passengers while riding in the vehicle. Manydifferent types of portable toys and games have been created in order tohelp entertain these sorts of passengers. However, many of these gamespresent problems in that they have structures that make them difficultto balance and effectively play while riding in a moving automobile, aswell as making them difficult to store while not in use. Also, many ofthese games come with small pieces that are easily thrown about or lostwhile inside a moving automobile.

What is needed is a game apparatus that is capable of fitting withinrecessed cup holders that are commonly found in most conventionalpassenger automobiles. It is desirable that these games be capable ofbeing played while remaining positioned within a cup holder and that thegame apparatus be capable itself of holding any accompanying playingpieces or cards that might be necessary to the playing of the game. Thusa cup holder game playing apparatus solving the aforementioned problemsis desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cup holder game playing apparatus of the present invention isintended for use with a motorized vehicle having at least one recessedcup holder therein and includes a hollow cylindrical container and alid. The hollow cylindrical container has a tapered bottom end and anopen top end, the tapered bottom end being dimensioned to fit within therecessed cup holder. The lid is designed to be detachably removed fromthe open top end of the hollow cylindrical container and encompasses atleast one game playing mechanism.

The cup holder game playing apparatus is designed to allow playing ofthe game playing mechanism while the apparatus is maintained within thecup holder. The container portion may be used to store playing pieces orplaying cards that are necessary for the playing of the game. The lid ofeach cup holder game playing apparatus may encompass a different gameplaying mechanism, including a randomizer, such as a spinner or apop-o-matic dice mechanism, a revealer, or a scoring device, such as atrivia scoring device. These and other features of the present inventionwill become readily apparent upon further review of the followingspecification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, environmental perspective view of a firstembodiment of a cup holder game playing apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of a first embodiment of a cupholder game playing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a cup holder gameplaying apparatus with an exploded game piece according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a cup holder gameplaying apparatus with an associated game playing card according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a cup holder gameplaying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a series of playing cards for use with a cupholder game playing apparatus according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a cup holder game playing apparatus, for usewith a motorized vehicle having at least one recessed cup holdertherein, of which a first embodiment 10, a second embodiment 10A, athird embodiment 10B, and a fourth embodiment 10C are shown in thedrawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, cup holder game playing apparatus 10 is shown.Cup holder game playing apparatus 10 includes a hollow cylindricalcontainer 12 and a lid 14. Hollow cylindrical container 12 has a taperedbottom end and an open top end. The tapered bottom end of hollowcylindrical container 12 is dimensioned to fit within a recessed cupholder C located within most conventional motorized vehicles. Lid 14removably covers the open top end of hollow cylindrical container 12 andencompasses at least one game playing mechanism. Cup holder game playingapparatus 10 includes a randomizing spinner 16 as part of the gameplaying mechanism. Spinner or rotatable indicator 16 is adapted to fitwithin lid 14 such that it is free to rotate within lid 14. Indicator 16can be adapted to list a series of categories that can be used inplaying a word association type game.

Hollow cylindrical container 12 may be used to store playing pieces orplaying cards that are necessary for the playing of the game mechanismassociated with cup holder game playing apparatus 10. The cup holdergame playing apparatus 10 is designed to allow playing of the gameplaying mechanism while the apparatus is maintained within cup holder C.

FIG. 3 shows cup holder game playing apparatus 10A having hollowcylindrical container 12 and lid 14 a. Cup holder game playing apparatus10A includes a playing piece 18 as part of the game playing mechanism.Lid 14 a is designed to receive a plurality of playing pieces 18 andplaying piece 18 is adapted to fit onto lid 14 a such that it mayindicate completion of a category when playing a trivia type gameassociated with cup holder game playing apparatus 10A. Hollowcylindrical container 12 may be used to store playing pieces or playingcards that are necessary for the playing of the game mechanismassociated with cup holder game playing apparatus 10A.

FIG. 4 shows cup holder game playing apparatus 10B having hollowcylindrical container 12 and lid 14 b. Lid 14 b is designed to act as arevealer and is intended to be used with a game playing card 22 suchthat it may reveal encoded information on playing card 22 when playing agame requiring secret decoding with cup holder game playing apparatus10B. Hollow cylindrical container 12 may be used to store playing piecesor playing cards that are necessary for the playing of the gamemechanism associated with cup holder game playing apparatus 10B.

FIG. 5 shows cup holder game playing apparatus 10C having hollowcylindrical container 12 and lid 14 c. Lid 14 c includes a dice member20 contained within a plastic enclosure and is designed to be used as apop-o-matic type game playing mechanism. Pressing and releasing theplastic enclosure allows dice member 20 to be rolled, aiding in theplaying of a number of games of chance that may be associated with cupholder game playing apparatus 10C. Hollow cylindrical container 12 maybe used to store playing pieces or playing cards that are necessary forthe playing of the game mechanism associated with cup holder gameplaying apparatus 10C.

FIG. 6 shows a plurality of game playing cards 22 that arerepresentative of circular game playing cards that may be used inconjunction with games associated with cup holder game playing apparatus10, cup holder game playing apparatus 10A, cup holder game playingapparatus 10B, and cup holder game playing apparatus 10C.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A game playing apparatus for use with for use with a motorizedvehicle having at least one recessed cup holder therein, the gameplaying apparatus comprising: a hollow cylindrical container having atapered bottom end and an open top end, the tapered bottom end beingconfigured and dimensioned to fit within the recessed cup holder; and alid for removably covering the open top end of the hollow cylindricalcontainer, wherein the lid encompasses at least one game playingmechanism.
 2. The game playing apparatus as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid container is dimensioned and configured to fit virtually entirelywithin the recessed cup holder, with said lid positioned above andoutside of the recessed cup holder, such that a game may be playedwithout removal of either said container or said lid from the recessedcup holder.
 3. The game playing apparatus as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid lid includes means defining a circular opening therethrough, and arotatable indicator fitted within said opening, which is rotated toindicate predetermined game situations.
 4. The game playing apparatus asrecited in claim 3, wherein said rotatable indicator includes a central,upstanding graspable member for facilitating rotation of said rotatableindicator.
 5. The game playing apparatus as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid lid further comprises a flat upper surface, and raised gate meansthereon for selectively containing game pieces of a predetermined,fittable configuration.
 6. The game playing apparatus as recited inclaim 1, wherein said lid includes a semi-transparent, colored surfacethereon, arranged such that game pieces slid therebeneath bear indiciaeasily deciphered when viewed through said semi-transparent surface. 7.The game playing apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said lidfurther comprises means defining a slot through a periphery thereof, forinsertion of a game piece having indicia thereinto.
 8. The game playingapparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said lid further comprises atransparent dome centered thereon, with at least one die confinedtherein.
 9. A game playing apparatus for use with for use with amotorized vehicle having at least one recessed cup holder therein, thegame playing apparatus comprising: a hollow cylindrical container havinga tapered bottom end and an open top end, the tapered bottom end beingconfigured and dimensioned to fit within the recessed cup holder; and alid for removably covering the open top end of the hollow cylindricalcontainer, wherein the lid encompasses at least one game playingmechanism, said container being dimensioned and configured to fitvirtually entirely within the recessed cup holder, with said lidpositioned above and outside of the recessed cup holder, such that agame may be played without removal of either said container or said lidfrom the recessed cup holder.
 10. The game playing apparatus as recitedin claim 9, wherein said game apparatus includes a predetermined seriesof playing cards.
 11. The game playing apparatus as recited in claim 10,wherein said lid has a top, upper surface configured to includestructure for playing a certain game according to predetermined rules.12. The game playing apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said lidhas a top, upper surface configured to include structure for playing acertain game according to predetermined rules.